Scout,

I was determined not to re-enter this discussion, except to needle Donal
about the 1/4 point.

Your post about your physic teacher gave me enough enjoyment to venture
another post.

Your experience brought back memoirs of mine own days in High School
with my own Physic Teacher about Tides and a Commercial Clammer who help
me learn sailing. By the time I got finished, I had more faith in the
Clammer. He lived in a shed on a float in the middle of the harbor. He
was fond of the booze an when he know enough about any subject to
satisfy himself, then he was satisfied.

His explanation of the Tide, given to me willingly. was; and I quote.
The Moon causes the Tides. It cause high tide because of its pull on
earth, which screws up the pull between the earth and the Sun. Since the
Tides are made up of water, the higher water, under the Moon creates
less water on the other side of the Earth or low Tide. Since the Tide
are water and the pull is less the farther away from the Moon they are
not as high on the side of the earth facing the moon but higher than the
water on the side of the Earth facing away away from the Moon. People
call this difference 1/2 tide. The height of High Tide and Low Tide
along with 1/2 Tides are affected by the Phase of the Moon.

The difference of the location and of the time of tides are caused by
the differences of the rotation of the Earth and the time of revolution
and direction of the Moon

This is explanation has served me well for over 60 years.

Ole Thom